Of I. trustees still ignore Quinn's call to resign

2 U.

August 21, 2009

A face-to-face meeting Friday did not defuse a political standoff between Gov. Pat Quinn and two University of Illinois trustees who refuse to resign, setting the stage for their dismissal unless an eleventh-hour compromise is reached.

Describing the two holdouts as "friends," Quinn said the hourlong meeting was an opportunity to better understand where each party stands. He said he expects the impasse will end soon.

But the governor held to his view that the entire board of trustees should step aside in order to restore public confidence in the Urbana-Champaign campus that has been shaken by an admissions scandal.

"We need to understand the name of the University of Illinois, around the world, is one we always have to protect," Quinn said.

Trustees Frances Carroll and James Montgomery continued to defend their records of service and Montgomery said he will fight in court any attempt to fire him.

"I have a 50-plus-year reputation as a lawyer. ... I don't intend to see that slandered without some response," Montgomery said.

Quinn sought the board's resignation in the wake of a Chicago Tribune investigation that found powerful people held sway over admissions decisions. In some cases, denial decisions were overturned and subpar students admitted after outside interference from school trustees, elected officials and donors.

Created by the governor to investigate the practice, the Illinois Admissions Review Commission found that the trustees "failed to exercise the care and diligence appropriate to protect against admissions-related abuses."

Seven of the nine governor-appointed trustees offered to resign during recent weeks.

At least five said they would like to continue their board terms if Quinn chooses to retain them. On Friday, he said it was too soon to decide. To date, his office has received more than 190 applications for the open board seats.

The state constitution allows the governor to terminate a trustee for incompetence or neglect of duty, but it does not outline any recourse for challenging the removal. In 1975, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that fired appointees can fight dismissals in court.

Carroll and Montgomery have said stepping down would be akin to acknowledging they had played a part in the admissions controversy. The state commission's report makes only passing reference to the two Chicago trustees, though both had made inquiries about applicants.

Montgomery said he was prepared to make his case in court, if necessary. For now, he will wait for Quinn to make the next move.

"The ball is in the governor's court," Montgomery said. "We'll see soon."